WWE showed photos from their tryout in China. Hopefully there were some good potential superstars there.
Roman Reigns and the Bella Twins have been nominated for the 2016 Teen Choice Awards in athlete categories. I hope they do well.
Zack Ryder will send autographs to anyone who buys his new T-shirt. That's a great way to take advantage of his first new merchandise in years.
WWE Network has added more WCW Nitros from 1999 and 2000. I expect they'll focus on finishing uploading the run of that show for the immediate future.
TNA kept their Hall of Fame announcement very close to their chests. Gail Kim didn't know she was being inducted until Dixie announced it. She's definitely earned the honor.
Billy Gunn was backstage at TNA's Tuesday night taping. I'm split on whether they should bring him in. They could use a veteran with name value who can still "go," but they already have the reputation of using "washed-up WWE rejects" and they don't want to feed into that.
Roderick Strong vs. Mark Briscoe is official for Best in the World. Speculation continues on Strong's future as his contract winds down.
- ROH has also announced Moose/War Machine vs. The Elite in a tornado match and Kamaitachi vs. Kyle O'Reilly for the PPV. This could end up being Moose's final match for ROH as he's expected to try out for WWE once he's contractually free to do so.
-- Moose is also believed to have a big offer from TNA. So, if things don't work out for him to join NXT, he has an opportunity to shine there. His future looks pretty bright in any case.
Konnor is cleared to return to WWE, and could be back in the mix as soon as this weekend's live events. I imagine he'll pretty much slide right back into the "enhancement talent" role for live events, Main Event, and Superstars.
John Cena played Hulk Hogan in a sketch on NBC. It's the role he was meant to play. I'm liking non-PG Cena more and more.
Final Battle 2016 will be at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on December 2. Fans are excited ROH won't be running Terminal 5 in the city.
Stephanie McMahon promoted her book on Facebook. I expect her to remain a constant presence on TV in order to sell this memoir.
Jay Lethal vs. Colt Cabana is set for ROH's July 16 show in Philadelphia. I'm curious to see who ends up dethroning Lethal for the title and when.
Jay White will start with ROH at their June 25 TV taping. He's scheduled to face Kamaitachi at that event.
Gail Kim tweeted about being the newest TNA Hall of Famer. She was with TNA before the Knockouts division even existed, and has been a strong soldier there for years.
Takeover: Back to Brooklyn has officially sold out. There's potential for a really big card that night.
WWE has trademarked Clash of Champions. I expect that could end up a Network special or a new PPV name in the aftermath of the brand split.
Impact Wrestling drew 210,000 viewers for its delayed airing. Hopefully they rebound in their regular spot next week.
Chris Melendez is no longer part of TNA due to his contract expiring. He had asked for his release several months back, but was told to just wait until the contract ended. Melendez last worked a One Night Only show in March, following two matches for the company in early January. I hope he gets booked more going forward.
WWE has abandoned plans to trademark the Legion of Doom. That's a wise move if the plan was to give that moniker to Paul Ellering's NXT duo; they should forge their own path.
Amazing Red needed three surgeries following a broken ankle, leading to him missing the CWC. Hopefully he'll get another chance at coming to WWE once he recovers.
Mattel has announced the first-ever Magnum TA action figure as part of an upcoming line. That's good news!
Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt are expected back on WWE TV in time for the draft. Orton has potential to drop back in as a major player after his lengthy absence.
TNA names are expected to work AAA Triplemania in August. That's good news for some talents getting an additional booking.
Jim Ross is looking at producing a documentary on the glory days of wrestling on TBS. That's right up his alley.
David Otunga is expected to do commentary on Main Event and Superstars regularly going forward. He's a strong speaker, so it's natural to try him out in that role.
UK wrestlers Big Damo and Noam Dar are expected to be recruited for NXT in the coming months. Both men have made names for themselves in that market.
TNA's tour of India is tentatively scheduled for late in the year after being continually pushed back. That's potentially a big happening for them, but it's also a costly one.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. There's definitely a lot of wrestling content out there for those who want it. If that's the barometer of a golden era, it does look good for fans in the short term. However, I'm worried about how sustainable so much WWE content will be given the current ratings levels, TNA's financial situation is quite shaky, and it remains to be seen if LU can become a more permanent part of the wrestling landscape.
1. There's definitely a lot of wrestling content out there for those who want it. If that's the barometer of a golden era, it does look good for fans in the short term. However, I'm worried about how sustainable so much WWE content will be given the current ratings levels, TNA's financial situation is quite shaky, and it remains to be seen if LU can become a more permanent part of the wrestling landscape.
2. I'm viewing the CWC more or less as live NXT tryouts. From that perspective, I think we'll see a number of talents impress enough to be offered contracts. Even some who don't will remain on WWE's radar and likely get another shot next year if they do bring the concept back as planned.
3. Grabbing the brass ring only means so much if the company isn't willing to get behind you and use you in a more prominent role. There's a long-standing belief that "McMahons = ratings," so they'll probably continue to be a fixture for the foreseeable future. For what it's worth, there was a spike in business when Shane returned and Vince is usually reliable for a ratings/interest boost if used in an important matter.
4. Breeze was spinning his tires in NXT, and had really done all he could do at the developmental level. So, they called him up to test him as a main roster guy. I like Breeze, but I'm not complaining about his current situation. Hopefully Breezango gets more of a chance to shine after the brand split.
5. I can't disagree with that assessment in the least. Mauro has legitimate enthusiasm for the product, and Graves is a natural talker.
More wrestling tomorrow.
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